Retired Couple Van Life - FLORIDA TRIP RECAP! VAN TREKKING lifestyle

[@koalabear6722]

We love Pizza Time! 🍕 We've lived here since 89! 😊

[@CanadaFree.6014]

Our 2.5 trip to Florida seems soooo long ago now. We also discussed what we should have left home that we had lugged with us in the van. They are: Instant Pot (only used a few times. Your right though - we too cooked differently than home - more simple); blow up double kayak (bought from Amazon - it worked but what a pain in the butt to put away afterward. Took half an hour to get the air all out, dry everything, fold and put back in bag. Plus it took up way too much room. It was our elephant in the van. Benefit did not outweigh the inconvenience. We found we enjoyed renting a canoe in various places instead.); and too many long pants/shoes (taking up space). Hubby did buy one fishing rod there and we managed to hook it underneath the overhead cabinets to get out of the way. He ended up using that a lot. We brought our Crab screen (smaller version than yours), and we used that anytime we stayed in a place more than a couple days. Worth bringing it. We met one other Canadian couple who had managed to mount their BBQ underneath their bike rack. We too would like to do something like that to get the BBQ out of the van. A couple other things we brought but never used were our large binoculars and our video camera. As to cell phone plan, we found Visible with it's unlimited data & hot spot the best deal for us. It used Verizon so only a few places it was not effective because of lack of cell towers, but that's okay. It was cheap too! As to bringing a guitar, maybe you could bring a small ukulele instead?

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Uke? That'd would be a cool option. We felt the same way about our inflatable paddle boards. Great when we used then but took too much room and takes forever to set up. We are glad we are not alone with these issues. Thanks for always being there with us. Stay safe.

[@leslietodd3804]

We always love listening to Owen play and sing. We vote YES to bringing his guitar!!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

🎸👍. Next trip. ❤️

[@TheSassySpoon]

This us a great recap! We plan on escaping NC and going down to Florida the first winter we have our RV. We have snorkeled all over the world and haven't been able to do it since we left our Hawaiian home. It will also be so nice to be in the warm weather in the winter. Thanks for doing so much homework for us! Did you find Destin crowded? some people (not RV people) have told us that it gets crazy in the winter. I agree on the iPhones being superior, especially if you have imacs. We are looking at folding kayaks. Bring your guitar Owen! Wes (my husband) has a travel guitar. It is a little smaller and has a padded case. The data issue is a big one. We have Verizon, mostly because here in the NC mountains it is all that works. I would be happy to hear about what your solution is. ~devany

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

To be honest we didn’t really find Destin that crowed but we mostly stayed in SP. A lot of full time RVers have recommenced Visible for a internet provider, we will probably purchase that before our next long trip. Last year on our trip we used our Verizon plan.

[@TheSassySpoon]

@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle Keep us posted on how Visable works. My husband has to work from the road so we need something reliable. This is totally off topic, but I really would like to see a good hands on video on doing a dump station connection, both black and gray tanks. You kind of showed us one but it was after the fact. It would be nice to see exactly how you do it. My husband is a little concerned about the technical aspects of owning an RV, any of those kind of issues would be great for him to see. Love watching your videos! You two are awesome.

[@carolkoniecki]

You guys are so lovely. Thanks for the smiles you spread! God Bless!!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Thanks for being with us and taking the time to comment.

[@keyplayer5]

Thanks for brightening my Sunday. I so enjoy watching the two of you and seeing the way you interact with one another. Please keep the videos coming even if it’s just a walk in your neighborhood or a meal you cook at home or Maggie being her cute self. 😊

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Very sweet thing to say. We do love each other, but most married couples love each other. The thing that makes us “work” is we LIKE each other too. And we like spending time together. We’re glad it makes you smile. We are going to keep doing them, and folks like you that let us know they make a difference really influence that decision. We appreciate you!

[@CranberryEssentialTarot]

The kayak and bike thing is something that we are puzzling over. We want this so we can do more outdoor activities, but that is a lot of loading and unloading and worry about losing it. :)

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

It's all full of compromises isn't it? And it adds length which limits parking spots. But we have to figure this out. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@debnelson5071]

It's always so reassuring to see you both so genuinely fond of each other! So funny that clip of Lynn and the birds! My husband and I are a couple years away from purchasing our first camper van, and it will be a first for us in any type of RV, so I am grateful for the things you share about traveling that way. Do you foresee possibly purchasing a different type of rig in the future, or is the Travato K checking all your boxes, with the exception of storage? Also, how often do you use your "room" on your trips? Thank you for sharing!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Glad our videos help you. Well you heard us talking about not having enough room for our kayaks. So our next one may be a little bigger. May. We love how small the Travato is for sure. As far as the room bugs dictate how often we set it up. Buggy we use it a lot more. But it's up on the roof so it's not convenient to get it so it's not one of those every campsite things for sure.

[@sobodon]

Y'all do such a nice job on these videos. I appreciate the time and effort you put into them so we get to go along with you.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Thank you. Glad you are with us.

[@stephenboldrey9973]

Best kayak for small van Sea Eagle Inflatable 393RL RazorLite DS Pro Package . You will love them if you ever try one Very rigid they are as stiff as a Standard kayak . The fit right under your bed

[@stumpy2005]

Another great watch and recap you two have such chemistry also your both looking good and Owen with new hair style. Yes please more campsite guitar picking and singing would be great. You two take care and keep doing what your doing.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

We appreciate you watching and I think we’ve talked Owen into taking his guitar. Be safe.

[@pattyann7803]

Thanks for this video. We have similar tastes and styles so this was so informative. Been looking into bikes as well.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

So glad the video was informative. We appreciate you watching.

[@penny_willow]

Yes to the guitar and if not a foldable kayak maybe an inflatable one would be good to save room. Take care 😀

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

🎸👍. We have inflatable SUPs now. Lynn's works pretty well but mine is way too big, heavy and bulky.

[@darlenerojo2052]

Truly enjoyed the review. Thank you!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@hdlowrider5413]

I’m with you Lynn, the gee-tar is a must. Love hearing Owen play and sing. Looking forward to seeing the video on the bed redo. I have to do something with my bed on our CrossFit/Beyond. Happy tails to y’all. ❤️

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

OK. 🎸 will be on board with us next time. Thanks for always being with us. We'll let you know how the new mattress goes. Gotta be better.

[@patriciaburke8729]

I can’t comfortably lift kayaks to our roof anymore so I would love to install a hydraulic lift. Maybe shorter boats that could ride upright on back? The “ origami” boats look very cool. Kevlar is very light. I wish. Hubby always takes his quitar. Not his travel one either. We have perfect spot using wall space next to bathroom that held a table top. We use the strap and it stays very tight and somewhat out of sight. Owen has to take his guitar! Maybe someday we’ll bump into each other and the guys can do some picking.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

I sure wish we had a great spot for a guitar. We will figure it out for sure. We've thought of short boats too. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@kendclife7913]

Good to see you two again, and glad you two are safe. I'm looking forward to being able to get out again.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

We are too!!!!!! Can’t wait... but will. Thanks for being with us!

[@thebillbaker4793]

Well well well, you and my wife have something in common you’re both born on January 11. Stay Thursday my friends PS and be safe

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Jan 11... Just far enough away from Christmas that I are least got a present growing up. 😀 Thanks for being with us.

[@rvwall-e]

Owen, I’m sure you’ll figure out the toy situation, (I’ve seen matching 4 x 6 closed trailers, etc), but the guitar is really almost a must have. I have seen them mounted on the wall by the bathroom, under cabinets and even on the ceiling. Obvious each place has drawbacks and depends on the size of the guitar, but if a lady enjoys her hubby’s music

[@rvwall-e]

keep her happy!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

We thought of a trailer but we're really love being able to park so easily. See? We want it all don't we? 😂. 🎸 will be with us next trip. Not sure there's a great mounting place for a guitar in the 59K. We pretty much are using every square inch already. Thanks for the love.

[@larryvincent2098]

Nice recap of the time you travelled , I enjoy the humor and the facts !! Listen like a school child on your information about things you like and the things you really don’t need . I enjoy this update and likes, and the memories you share, Maggie says happy tails !!! Lol Thank you for sharing . Nice if you brought your guitar out while doing this update . Lynn you know what to do so Owen can do his thing . Thanks .

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Larry, as I remember my school days I’m not sure listening like me as a school child would be wise. Even then I think I was dreaming of hitting the road and exploring, even when I shouldn’t be dreaming. Seems the VTL family vote is for me to get my guitar out more often. :-). Will do. Thanks for being here with us.

[@larryvincent2098]

@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle 😂😂👍

[@pamw8102]

Great video! We trekked out from the PNW to North Carolina in 2016 (truck and trailer then, Travato K now). We really loved NC. We take a lot of fishing gear for a ride as well, but just in case you need it you should have it. We were planning on a trip to Arizona this winter, but late start (#3 grandbaby in Jan) and with the virus, we didn't get to go. So, maybe back out to NC someday. I just got a small instant pot (insert groan here!) and we'll see if we use it on the road. We did a test short drive to see how it would work to have it plugged in (inverted plug) while driving and it worked great! Take care, love the bloopers.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

We've had a few times we've wanted to use our Instantpot while driving. It does work... just don't slam on the brakes. 😂👍. We loved the State we are in( NC) too. Good luck starting traveling again soon. We can't wait.

[@nbragtop]

Just figured out how to watch you on you on our 65" TV. Wow ya'll are big! This video was very interesting and helpful. Apalachicola. is always available to you.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

O my goodness, being that big can not be a good thing. We also watch KZbin on our TV. Thanks for watching. Be safe.

[@karenrogers6149]

Hello Owen & Lynn from NC natives now living in Upstate SC! Glad y’all enjoyed Huntington Beach State Park in Murrell’s Inlet. It is our favorite SC state park. WE will be there 3 times this year! Hope to catch y’all there sometime!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

3 times! Wow! Lucky you guys! We hope to go back soon when things start to feel safer to travel. My mom lives near MB so it’s good to see her and then hop to the coast for a few days and come back to NC. We usually stay at MB State Park but after this last stay at HB I’m pretty sure we’ll try to get in there when we’re in the area. Stay safe.

[@karenrogers6149]

VAN TREKKING lifestyle We will! You, Lynn & Maggie stay safe, too!

[@janetfolkerts5827]

Chris with Tiny Homes introduced me to the inflatable kayak that he used in Alaska. It deflates to a small unit for storage. You might check the possibilities. As always, thanks for sharing your journey

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Thank you. We will check that out for sure. Thanks for being with us.

[@thebossisback10002]

My wife and I really enjoy your videos, we travel in a Winnebago View and can’t wait to get back on the road.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Thank you! Views are awesome. Thanks for watching.

[@judystreich7333]

Very informative, I like good information. Moving around from state park to state park is perfect for me as I get restless being in one place for too long, I’m a traveler, not a sitter. Really liked your Alaska videos and your little friend Maggie. I had one just like her and she really kept it fun. Wishing you two safe travels and good times, hug your pup, she is a gem.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

We sure love moving around often too. But next time we go we actually want to stay longer at each park. Alaska was the best experience in our life.

[@WingsandWheelsAlaska]

Great recap of your Florida trip. You need to play that guitar more! Stay Safe! Big hugs!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Thanks dear friends. You guys doing ok?

[@WingsandWheelsAlaska]

VAN TREKKING lifestyle yup! Been without service last few days :)

[@sandrap3047]

Great recap! Love seeing the white pelicans again! Never knew white pelicans existed even though I've lived at the beach for 30 yrs. I'm currently furloughed from my hotel job so catching up on your old videos of FL. Found your channel when you went to Alaska last year. Think I'll watch the Alaska series again when I finish catching up because it was that good! How long have you been on KZbin? Love watching your adventures!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Hi Sandra with the same last name as us but spelled differently. 😂. Our channel has been really active for 2 years now. Thanks for watching so much.

[@spellmadam2947]

Great recap thanks. I am binge watching to catch up.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Thanks! We binge watched the Florida trip to make our notes for the video. There’s a lot to binge watch for sure. :-)

[@spellmadam2947]

@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle we followed along the majority but the last month has been hectic for us. Happy tails

[@ftkinsella]

Wonderful review of what looked like a memorable trip, another one I might add. So many memories to look back on during these crazy times. Good times ahead with more beautiful places and amazing new friends. Glad you are home and safe. Stay safe guys. Cheers!!!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Cheers our dear friend. Stay safe. Hope it starts warming up at your home soon.

[@lorenenoe4472]

Really enjoyed this format, comfortable visit with friends, so needed during these home bound months. Can tell you've been to a barber, lol. Stay well, we will be waiting for the next pop up session. 😷

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Thank you. No barber. I just snuck out into the porch with a trimmer and did it myself. Lynn was a little upset at me. 😂👍

[@lorenenoe4472]

Wow, another talent!

[@kennethrohr7765]

Another great video! What a good looking couple ! I almost want to break out the popcorn when I watch your videos. Be safe!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Popcorn is always a good thing. Glad you liked it.

[@arkansastraveler7698]

The white pelicans migrate through NW Arkansas and North East OK.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Best that's a great sight. We loved seeing them.

[@catherineharper6580]

Watch Cynthia making the bed for their van, it’s not too hard, you might want to pick up an electric knife it’s easier to cut the foam

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Turkey carving knife will come in handy for sure.

[@jimwright7836]

Yes Yes Yes on the guitar!!!!!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

👍 Will try to take it next time.

[@TalkingWithBob]

If you ever plan on being in wa state let me know. I will be down in nc this fall maybe we can do a van tour swap for our channels or something if we ever cross paths.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

That would be awesome. You're lucky to live in such a beautiful area. Stay safe. Let us know if/when you get down to the NC area. Thanks for watching.

[@doingitwithnothing]

Nice “look back”

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Those “look backs” are why we started the channel. Even though we’d just gotten back home it was impossible for us to list even all the big things from memory. We literally looked back at all the videos to help us remember. :-). Thanks for being part of it.

[@forreststinnett4123]

Thanks for sharing you guys are awesome and how Maggie doing? Stay safe and see you on the road

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Thank you. Maggie is doing well, she is getting a lot of attention. Hope to see you on the road soon too

[@Querenciatv]

We Like 👍 it ❤️&✌️

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Thank you! Hope you'll consider subscribing and staying connected with us.

[@Pinky121971]

You have just so much capacity on your phones and Cards for your cameras while video taping, Do you keep the cards or delete them after the uploads on your channel. I have to learn some of your techniques. Thanks

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Our iPhones have 256gb in capacity. We use HEVC format which compresses size a lot. Now that we are just using the two iPhones we transfer the footage each morning to the iPad or MacBook and leave it on the phone as a backup. When we get back to WiFi iOS or MacOS will take care if freeing space used by older clips while keeping them in the cloud. Works great for us. When cloud storage gets too full we can delete the individual clips once the episode is uploaded. Hope that helps.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Oh yeah. Right now on our phones e have almost 180gb free and we haven't cleared of anything. It really does a great job of that these days.

[@Pinky121971]

@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle Thanks for the reply

[@chrisbsworld6634]

Great Video! Keep up the great job and be safe!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Thanks Chris.

[@Pinky121971]

Nice Recapped , Hats off to you both. Just wondering if you have to prep a skit to follow to remember all the amazing moments/. Enjoy your Videos, Have you use a professional editor, and hows the DJI Ozmo performance?

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Usually no script. For this one we created the titles/topics first and used those as talking points. Before doing that we spent quite a bit of time listing our favorites in a spreadsheet. The Osmo Pocket is a great camera. Better stabilization than iPhone but iPhone uses far less space and now has better audio and zoom. And it's easy to transfer to MacBook with airdrop and it's always in our pockets. This episode was edited with Davinci Resolve.

[@Pinky121971]

@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle Thanks again , Learned alot from you guys. Stay safe, looking forward to see your videos. By the way how do you keep the Generator noise quiet?

[@rogerwileman9965]

Why do Americans move on after 2-3 days. When we traveled around Europe we stayed on average for a week but in the south of France we stayed for a month we had a great time. I hope you can find the time to answer our question thanks

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Hey guys. Thanks for watching and commenting. To answer your question, Lynn and I have done both. Until last year each winter we went to Florida and stayed for 3-5 months at a time at the same location and really got to know that location. For us, how long we stay in a location has a lot to do with what’s around there. During this last trip we stayed 11 nights at Tomoka and like the way you travel, we loved it. We could not get bookings for extended stays at any of the other state parks during this trip. We tried but it is just too busy during that time. We plan to go back to FL in either 2022 or 2023 and decided to book early in advance to allow us to stay a few weeks at each location. The work life in America is different than lots of other countries. Folks typically get 2-3 weeks vacation per year and it’s rare to be able to take more than a week at a time. I think that has something to do with it too. For us, we are in a small van and traveling is a large part of why we have the van instead of a big camper. So when we’re in the van we’ll typically hop around to many places on a longer trip instead of staying in one location. Your trip to Europe sounds amazing and we hope to do that some day. Thanks for being with us. Let us know if you have any other questions.

[@rayandsandy7649]

Great video.just wondering how many times did you have to change the engine oil and other van maintenance on the Alaska trip? Thanks for sharing, stay safe and healthy.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Changed the oil and filters right before leaving and then changed then again about half way through the trip.

[@SlowDownandTurnHere]

Next time you are around Apalachicola, FL be sure to check out the Possum Festival in Wausau, FL. Check their website for the dates. www.wausaupossumfestival.com

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Added it to our list. Possum Festival. Gotta be cool. Thank you.

[@christinebrigham4732]

Did you worry about your dog and the alligators?

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Yes, we do worry about Maggie and the alligators. If the area looks like there could be alligators we keep her on a very short leash or we don’t take her at all. Thanks for your concern.

[@christinebrigham4732]

VAN TREKKING lifestyle I have seen videos of alligators jumping out of the water to eat something close to shore. I also worry about Abby if I am hiking and there would be a coyote come after her.

[@donaldclegg3523]

Check out MattressInsider.com for your bunks!

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

Thank you for the recommendation we will check them out.

[@naomipeters7882]

Inflatable kayaks

[@naomipeters7882]

Intex challenger k2 is the one I’m looking at. Price point is low enough to try it out.

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

We looked at several inflatable kayaks, but we really wanted hard ones, which is what we ended up with. We did like the Advance Elements.

[@TheArtofRVing]

Saw you at Wings and Wheels Alaska. You guys make me laugh. Such great spirit. We have some videos you would like check us out

[@VANTREKKINGlifestyle]

We will check you out. Thanks for the nice words!