househunting – Page 2

3 Reason We Love Mammoth Lakes

We have been to some pretty incredible places on our journey in Red together, but so far nothing compares to our time spent in Mammoth Lakes. We arrived in Mammoth late one night in the rain, tired and hungry we popped into a pub to get some food. By the company surrounding us we immediately felt like we were in a ski town and we quickly realized we were going to like it here.

For the first time on our trip we paid for a camping spot at a state park campground. We stayed at Old Shady Rest Campground and really enjoyed it. We stayed at basic site with no hook ups, which was fine since we were used to dry camping, and we were walking distance to town which was perfect. We were suppose to spend 2 nights here but we extended our time to 3 nights because we just fell in love with mammoth, and here’s why:

Our first day in town we spent hanging around our campground setting up and that night we went to town to buy some groceries to cook fireside. On our journey to town we heard music and saw a bunch of people gathered so we decided to check out what was going on. Turns out we had stumbled upon a wine walk and entry price got you a wine glass and different samples from wine vendors from California wine country. We were in. The wine walk was hosted at what is known as The Village, a rather new looking hub for restaurants and shopping, so we got ourselves a glass of wine and explored the quaint shops while enjoying the live music. It didn’t take long till we made some friends and they let us know all the things to do and places to eat. Everyone we met was friendly and welcoming and were eager to make sure we had a good time in Mammoth. We also learned that Mammoth is a popular snow skiing vacation spot for those living in southern California and has only really gotten big within the last 10 years. The shops were cute and we ended up eating out 2 out of the 3 nights we were there because the restaurants were phenomenal. This is the first reason we loved Mammoth, experiencing good food, good wine, and good people while being out in the wild, staying in our camper. We should also add we were blown away by how kid and family friendly everywhere was. This is definitely a spot I can see us continuously coming back to even when we start a family.

The second reason we loved Mammoth was the Inyo National Forest. Not only was the forest beautiful, but most parks and forests are strict about not letting dogs on the trails but at the Inyo National Forest dogs are welcome on all trails and back country camping. On our second day we took the mandatory shuttle to the national monument, Devils Postpile, inside the Inyo National Forest, and Rosie was even allowed to ride the shuttle! Now, she did have to have a muzzle but once we were on the shuttle no one cared if she wore it or not. Devils Postpile, formed by lava and ice, was an incredible site and we had a blast exploring the area around it for the day. Rosie surprised us by taking a plunge into a stream to cool down, which is so unlike her. She usually hates water but I think she is really tuning into her adventurous side. I had read that the Inyo National forest was a hidden gem and its where the Park Rangers at Yosemite went to camp and it did not disappoint. All the beauty but half the crowds.

Inyo National Forest

Devils Postpile

Rosie going for a dip!

kisses for Mama

Mammoth lakes isn’t called Mammoth lakes for nothing. The third reason we loved Mammoth was June Lake. We had met more friends while at Devils Postpile and they recommended we check out June Lake. So, on our last day we went over there for lunch. We expected great views of a lake, what we didn’t expect was there to be a little beach and a bunch of people in the water! We could use a little dip so we ran back to Red and grabbed our suites. We both have a lot of experience with lake life back in Texas but this lake was like nothing we had ever seen before. The lake was crystal clear and our view was of mountains with snow still on the top. The water was the most refreshing thing ever and Rosie, again welcomed, even took a little dip. We ended the day with ice cream and then headed home to Red.

Rosie playing lifeguard

June Lake

Going for a dip!

Baywatch

Our time in Mammoth went by quick and neither one of us were to happy about leaving. From the food to the forest we just enjoyed everything about Mammoth Lakes and are already planning on when we can go back.

CAMPING:
Old Shady Rest Campground | no hookups | price: $21/night
wildlife spotted: chipmunks, deer, birds

A Drive though Death Valley

Headed from Sedona, Arizona all the way to Mammoth Lakes, California we decided to add in Death Valley National Park along the way.

I (Whitney) was a little nervous to drive through Death Valley in the summertime. It gets up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit and Ive heard stories about people breaking down on their way through. Regardless, we decided to go ahead and make the journey and Im really glad we did.

Before we got to Death Valley we made a pit stop at the Hoover Dam. Both of Richards grandfathers worked for the highway department and both built bridges, giving him a respect and admiration for the Hoover Dam. I cant say that Rosie or I got it, but Richard was it heaven. Not knowing much about dams, it is still clear to see this is something pretty magnificent and was grander than I expected. We parked and walked around for an hour and a half then continued our journey.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Pit stop at the Hoover Dam

With a quick drive through Las Vegas (neither one of us wanted to stop) we approached Death Valley. Entering the park was a little erie. With a storm cloud forming above us and entering the valley through what looked like a ghost town, we were both a little uncertain about what was to come. As we started our journey through the park the landscape began to change into what I imagine Mars looks like and the outside temperatures began to rise. We pulled up to a lookout and with brave faces got out of the car into the 108 degree Fahrenheit weather. Surprisingly, it was not the heat that shocked us the most, it was how dry we both felt. Like the air had sucked out all the moisture from our bodies. We did not however, let Rosie out of the car at all while in Death Valley, unsure of how she would react. Once back into the car we made our way zigging and zagging, up and down, and all through Death Valley and its constantly changing landscape. We allowed 2 hours for Death Valley and it took us more around 3 hours to make it through. We could of easily spent 4 hours though. Luckily, we did get a little rain allowing us to be able to enjoy the park for longer without getting too hot.

Death Valley

Ever changing landscape

driving through Death Valley

Red made it through Death Valley!

Death Valley sand storm

Once out of Death Valley the weather took a turn for the worst and we spent the remainder of the drive just trying to get to our destination. We couldn’t help but be entertained watching the outside temperature drop from 108 to 60 degrees by heading north just a few hours.

Rosie’s Best Day Ever

Luckily we have a dog that will sleep in the car. Well, except when we open snacks, then she is awoken immediately. We love that she sleeps but feel bad that she misses so much on the road and can’t go to all the stops with us. Thats why when Rosie got to go to two national Parks in one day, she had the BEST. DAY. EVER.

Leaving the Gila national forest in New Mexico we crossed the border to Arizona and went to the Petrified Forest National Park. Dogs are allowed on all the trails here and after a visit to the visitor center they decided that Rosie was the perfect candidate for a Bark Ranger. She got a certificate and even a collar tag. This alone made Rosie feel very special and I think she has a special pride in preserving the National Parks now.

Luckily, there had been a storm the day before and the forest was nice and cool for us all to explore the Petrified Forest and soak in all it’s magic. They say that if you take something from the Petrified forest you will have bad luck so we touched all the petrified wood, which felt like stone, but left it as we found it. The Petrified Forest turns into the painted desert and Rosie was even welcome there to sniff and explore the changing colors of the desert. The entire area felt like another world and we met so many people from across the globe there to experience it’s splendor.

Walking around the Petrified forest

Painted Desert

Petrified wood

Leaving the painted desert the plan was to head to Sedona. It was still pretty early and we gained an hour so we had a wild hair to drive up to the Grand Canyon. Looking back this made our day extremely long but I also think it was all worth it. It’s about the journey and not the destination after all.

Rosie loves the Grand Canyon!

Enjoying the Grand Canyon views

We now know why it’s called the “Grand” Canyon. Richard had been 10 years ago and was amazed at how much everything had changed and how nice the parking and facilities were. Rosie was allowed all around the park and the rim but not on the trails leading down into the canyon, which we were not planning on doing anyways. As expected, the park was packed and again we met people from all over the world. Rosie was the center of attention with many of the crowds and she loved stretching her legs and getting to experience everything with us. We spent more time than we allotted for at the Grand Canyon but the beauty of it all is just too magnificent to rush. Around 6pm we loaded back in the car, tired and hungry, and headed down south to Sedona.

At this point Sedona was really out of our way, but it was somewhere we were both really excited about, so we decided to suck it up and head down for 2 nights. Once we passed Flagstaff (which is absolutely adorable might I add) the landscape started to get really interesting. We followed some pretty intense switch backs going down the mountain that felt more like a rollercoaster and our jaws were dropping at the red rocks starting to appear. After miles winding into the Red Rocks Secret Mountain Wilderness we found the perfect boon-docking spot at Nolan Tank. We were so tired and hungry we just ate and went to bed but we were awoken in the morning by the most amazing views. Each morning when we wake up and take a step outside we cant help but think how truly grateful we are for the world around us.

CAMPING:
Nolan Tank, Sedona, Arizona | Price: FREE
Wildlife spotted: hummingbirds, lizards

3 ways to make your camper feel like home

Whether you have completely renovated a camper or have one ready to go, personal touches are what make your adventure mobile feel like home. We chose to start with a camper that was already finished out so that we could focus solely on cosmetic updates. This was mostly due to time. While we first looked at building out a camper from an empty shell, we soon realized we just didn’t have the time to commit to it. We also found that most people don’t! If you don’t have a ton of free time to give to your camper a makeover, don’t worry, Im going to walk you through 3 projects that helped take our camper from drab to fab and didn’t steal a huge amount of our time or money!

1. Painting the interior

Like a house, you want to have your own personality shine through. It was important to us that we had a camper that felt happy and playful. Someplace that made us smile even on a bad or rainy day. For us, that meant making the inside brighter by painting it white. The biggest thing you need to focus on when it comes to painting is prepping! If you take your time and make sure to do this properly it will make the actual painting go smoothly and save you from having to redo areas. The area we painted was made out of Lauan wood which is a very thin plywood. A very gentle sanding is all you need. After that, we used blue tape to protect light switches and any where we did not want painted. Once you are ready to paint start with a primer.

We went up to our local Sherwin Williams and they helped us get the paint we needed. I would recommend a low sheen finish, such as a satin or flat. We went with an eggshell finish. Low sheen finishes will be much more forgiving to imperfections than a high gloss or reflective finish. We also chose to have an accent color (red, of course!) on our kitchen cabinets to give a bright pop of color.

2. Backsplash

Adding a backsplash to the kitchen or bathroom area of your camper is such an easy way to make a huge change to the whole feel. Not only can you make a dramatic impact this way, but it is also affordable and can be done in an afternoon! Home Depot and Lowes both carry peel and stick back splashes that are super easy to install without grout or glue. Another option is backsplash panels made of PVC, which is what we used. We found a great selection at overstock.com. This is a great option because it is light and doesn’t add much weight to your camper. All you have to do is cut them to fit your area and we used a heavy duty double sided tape to install them. The upside to the panels are that they are extremely light weight and easy to clean.

3. Textiles

Textiles is my favorite part of any redesign. This can be anything from pillows, seat cushions, and in our case- curtains and quilts. If your camper has a wooden valance you can usually just unscrew them or you can install a curtain rod underneath. We chose to take our wooden valances off and installed wrap around curtain rods in their place. I recommend wrap around curtain rods to help block side light and provide more privacy. You can also leave on your blinds for additional privacy. We actually took ours off only to turn around and put them all back on again. It was a whole ordeal so trust me, leave them on if you are bothered by light when you sleep. Now, Im sure there are plenty of y’all who can make curtains from scratch but we saved some time by buying curtains and simply hemming them to fit our windows. This is a great option if you have little sewing experience or do not own a sewing machine. A simple straight hem can be done by hand. Going with our retro camper vibe I picked out some curtains by The Pioneer Woman. You can find them here. Also, I think Im the last person on earth to know about the Pioneer Women line but it is adorable!! She has all sorts of fun bowels and table settings that would look great in any camper. Along with curtains we chose to add some fun quilts and pillows. The red and white quilt is a hand me down from my mother but the accent quilt is from Walmart which you can find here and the Love pillows are from a trip to London, but I found some similar ones here.

There you have it! 3 simple projects that will transform your camper and help show off your own personal style. We would love to hear your own tips for making your camper feel like home!

How house hunting turned into buying a camper

Let me start by saying Hello! We are Richard and Whitney Marshall and thank you for visiting our blog. We currently live in Dallas, Texas with our french bulldog, Rosie, and we recently tied the knot! Like most newlyweds, the question “where are we going to live?” was one of the first of many decisions we had to make about our new lives together.

This question seemed to have an easy answer. Get married, buy a house, then have some children. That’s the normal order of things, right? That’s what I’ve always been told, so in the months leading up to our wedding we started house hunting. What we found wasn’t a house but another bigger question, what did we really want our lives to look like?

So we and sat down and put aside what we thought our lives should look like and instead focused on what we wanted them to look like. We noticed we kept coming back to wanting more quality time together and wanting the flexibility and freedom to travel more. A house, or anchor, or money pit (just a few of the names that we refer to it as) would not bring us that. Instead, I quit my job soon after we were married and we started looking for a van to move into and travel the United States in. We have always been very interested in the tiny living movement and with the recent explosion of van life we thought this would be a good fit.

Then reality set in. I applaud anyone who has figured out how to work and also travel 365 days out of the year and I hope we reach that one day. But, as of right now, we realized that it will have to be a balance of travel and Dallas for us. Richard owns his own company and while it gives us a lot of freedom, he does need to be present in order to keep it growing.

This meant we would travel part-time and stay put where we were the rest of the time. Luckily, we are in a small duplex so the transition back and forth to something smaller will ideally be less of a challenge. This also meant that sprinter van life was out of the question. Have y’all seen the price tags on those? If this was not going to be our full-time home we could not spend that much. Enter travel trailers. Y’all these things are so cool and affordable! We started our search by going to an RV show and holy cow you wouldn’t believe how pimped out some of these things are! How someone could pull some of these suckers behind a truck I don’t even know. After trying out every single size and pretending to eat breakfast at every single table we came across the Riverside Retro collection and we were in LOVE. They have all of the retro charm that we love in a vintage camper, but with all the new amenities. This meant only having to do a few cosmetic updates. We found a dealer and that was that. We knew with a little paint and TLC this camper would be our perfect adventure mobile, and we named her Red.

Meet Red! Meet Red! You can look at all the Riverside Retro models here

Richard is 6’9″ so we also had to test the height

Again, let me end this with a big thank you for visiting! Please subscribe to our blog so we can take you through the remodel of Red and then off on our adventure with us starting July 7, 2018! We will be bringing you remodel ideas as well as travel and camping tips! Oh and of course adorable pictures of Rosie for all you dog lovers!