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Videos

Videos

👼 HOW TO GO CAMPING WITH A NEWBORN | 8 Week Old Baby and a 16 Foot Airstream

Camping with a newborn might sound intimidating, but it’s a lot easier than you’d think. Loren took his first camping trip when he was 3 weeks old, and he visited 5 state parks before he was 8 weeks old.

Camping with a newborn is exactly like taking care of a newborn at home except you’re in a camper and spend more time outside. Newborns also sleep a ton—so there’s time for parents to relax or pop the baby in a carrier and take a hike or enjoy a campfire! If you’re thinking about camping with kids, this is such an easy age to get outside and enjoy a family time together.

🥂 HAPPY NEW YEAR! | 2021 Airstream Resolutions

To know where you're going you have to know where you've been. Join us as we look back on our 2020 Airstream Resolutions and make some goals for 2021.

What about you? What are your Airstream/RV/Travel/Camping goals and resolutions for 2021?

😍🤬 FIVE THINGS WE LOVE & HATE ABOUT OUR 2021 AIRSTREAM CARAVEL 16RB

After trading in our 2019 Globetrotter 27FB for a 2021 Caravel 16RB, we've discovered a handful of things that we particularly love and hate about our new Airstream. (And by "hate" we really just mean "find annoying.")

What are you most and least favorite things about your Airstream or RV? And do you have any tips or tricks to help us hate our "five things we hate" a little bit less? Let us know!

👶 BABY AIRSTREAM | Camping with a Newborn in a 16 foot Airstream Caravel

Lots of new experiences await as we take our 3 week old baby on his very first camping trip and take the new Airstream out for a shakedown at Michigan's Port Crescent State Park. From poop getting on everything before we left to discovering Loren’s love for the sound of the waves, this was definitely a trip we won’t forget. Enjoy!

⁉️ WHY WE DOWNSIZED | 7 Reasons We Went From a 27' Airstream Globetrotter to a 16' Airstream Caravel

Bigger is better? Not for us!

You've been asking, and here we are with our answers. Why did we downsize from a 27' Airstream Globetrotter to a teeny tiny 16' Airstream Caravel? We'll give you seven reasons. Push play (or click ahead to a specific response) to hear them all.

And what about you? Did you downsize your RV? Or did you upsize to something bigger? From what to what? And tell us why!

🍾 OUR NEW AIRSTREAM | Picking Up Our 2021 Airstream Caravel 16RB

Jim travels to Woodland Airstream in Grand Rapids, MI to pick up a new Airstream and say a final goodbye to Jolly, our 27 foot Globetrotter, as he welcomes Jolly Jr, our teeny tiny 16 foot Caravel into our growing family of 3.

🎸 NATIONAL PARK SONG COLLABORATION | help us make our next video

SELLING OUR AIRSTREAM | with an unexpected surprise

We’ve talked about selling our 27’ Airstream Globetrotter ever since we settled down in Frankenmuth, MI to be near family and await Baby Keat’s arrival. It was the perfect home for our 9-month adventure but we were ready for more stability and support from family, especially during baby’s first year.

All the emotions come to play when we make the drive to pick Jolly up from storage, clean out the very last items from inside, and hitch up one last time to tow her to to Woodland Airstream.

After a tearful goodbye, we get some exciting and unexpected news from the dealer! With RV sales on the rise as a result of COVID-19 we were unable to secure our dream Airstream for part-time camping trips as a family of three, a 16’ Airstream Caravel. Thus, we temporarily resolved to wait until next Spring to make the purchase. Fortunately, Woodland Airstream was able to pull some strings and surprise us with an early arrival of our Caravel! It looks like we’ll be camping with Baby Keat in Jolly Junior this fall!

☕️ ASK FREE AND SIMPLE | Everything you need to know about full-time Airstream life

Pour yourself a cup of coffee and sit down with us for another round of Ask Free and Simple. This episode features the recording of an “Ask an Airstreamer” webinar we led with Airstream, talking more about our experience living full time in a 27’ Airstream Globetrotter. We cover all sorts of topics and answer dozens of questions. Get comfy and watch the whole thing or skip ahead to the parts that are most helpful for you. Enjoy!

🗓 ONE YEAR LATER | Looking Back at Our First Airstream Trip

One year ago we took our Airstream out for the very first time. But first we had to learn how to hitch up, tow, and make everything work! Luckily our friends at Colonial Airstream were ready to give us an incredible orientation and send us out for our first time spending the night in our 27’ Airstream Globetrotter.

Join us as we remember our first time the out in our Airstream, how things changed over our first year, and what’s coming next in the year ahead. What do you think our plans are for June 2021?!

🙋 ASK FREE AND SIMPLE | Fifteen Questions about Full Time Airstream Life

You've got questions. We might have answers!

"Ask Free and Simple" is a new series we're launching (monthly? quarterly? we'll see!) to answer questions you have about Airstreams, traveling with cats, our favorite National Parks, simplicity, having a baby, and anything else that you want to know more about. Visit our website to send in your questions and we'll respond to them on an upcoming video.

😧 FRIDAY THE 13th + COVID-19 | Worst Travel Day Ever

Friday, March 13 was the worst travel day we’ve ever had. Not only was it our longest travel day ever, with about eight hours of towing, we also had trouble finding an open campground in Ohio in the middle of March. Finally, after arriving at our campsite we were greeted with an unpleasant surprise.

This travel day was the beginning of our two day trek back to Michigan where we have been hunkering down for the coronavirus and awaiting the arrival of our baby boy in August. (Visit http://www.BabyKeat.com to follow that adventure!) It was definitely not an ideal finish to our first 9 months of full-time travel in the Airstream, but sometimes that is the reality of travel. If there is one thing we have learned during our time as full-time RVers it is that we have to go with the flow. Bad travel days and all.

👎FIVE THINGS WE HATE ABOUT FULL TIME RV LIFE -- It's Not All Rainbows and Snoopies

A lot of people dream about living and traveling in an RV or Airstream full time. It's easy to create the ideal image of life on the road when the only way you experience it is through the polished content that full time RVers post on Instagram and YouTube. (Yep, we're guilty of doing this.)

Sure, there are so many amazing places to see and explore, but it's not all rainbows and Snoopies. In this video we talk about five things that we hate (or just really don't like) about full time RV living.

We've been on the road for almost eight months and are here to tell you that there's more to this lifestyle than your Instagram feed might reveal. With any experience there is always good and bad, positive and negative. And while it's easy for us to focus on the former in our videos and photos, this one will focus on the latter. Enjoy!

👶 HAVING A BABY IN AN AIRSTREAM Q&A -- Full-time RV Life for First Time Parents

What's it like to have a baby when you live full-time in an Airstream? In just a few months, we're about to find out! But for now, we're doing our best to plan and prepare for our road baby, measuring where a bassinet can fit in our tiny house, going to monthly OB-GYN appointments in different states, and making room for all the things that come with a new tiny human in an RV that is notoriously known for it's lack of storage!.

Leave a comment with other questions you have for us or your tips and advice for full-time RV life with a new baby.

WILL IT BLOW UP? -- Trying to See the SpaceX Rocket Launch

Our full-time Airstream adventures takes us to Titusville, FL where we discover SpaceX launches their Falcon 9 rockets. So of course we make the trip over to the beach to see it happen in person, only to be sadly surprised by what we see when we arrive. Check out our latest video to follow along on our rocket launch adventure.

WHAT ARE CYPRESS KNEES? -- Slowing Down at Congaree National Park

One of our favorite things about full time Airstream life is planning our travels towards different National Parks. We set out on our eight week move-every-week adventure from Michigan to Myrtle Beach with three National Parks on the horizon. But traveling every Monday left us feeling tired and ready to slow down -- we know, some of you full time RVers move even more frequently than this! -- and Congaree National Park was the perfect place to end our travel sprint.

Congaree National Park has the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Waters from the Congaree and Wateree Rivers sweep through the floodplain, carrying nutrients and sediments that nourish and rejuvenate this ecosystem and support the growth of national and state champion trees. We enjoyed our day hiking through the forest, looking up at the Cypress trees, and looking down at the boney cypress knees.

Have you visited Congaree National Park? If so, what did you think? And if not, you should add it to your list. It's not as popular as Yosemite or the Great Smoky Mountains, but it is rich, beautiful, and inspiring none the less.

LEARNING TO FIX OUR AIRSTREAM FURNACE -- Full Time RV Problems

Full time Airstream life is full of surprises. Like the time we woke up to a colder-than-usual home, only to discover that our Atwood/Dometic furnace had stopped working in the middle of the night. After a bit of research (thank you internet Airstream community!) we think we know what to do. But will it work? Or will we blow up the Airstream? You'll have to watch the video to find out!

Special thanks to Josh from Someday Starts Now, Wandering America, and Jimmy from All-In RV Repair for their incredible help!

WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! - Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Three Black Bears, & Chelsea's Birthday

Hiking at Great Smoky Mountains National Park was on our list the minute we began our full time Airstream adventure. We arrived at Little Arrow Campground in Townsend, TN in November 2019 to enjoy a week of hiking and to celebrate Chelsea's birthday but we never expected to come this close to some of the wildlife!

Also, if anyone needs a haircut, just let us know. The Free and Simple spa is taking reservations! ;)

2020 AIRSTREAM TRAVEL RESOLUTIONS -- Happy New Year!

Ready or not, it's a new year (and maybe even a new decade!). We have three Airstream travel resolutions as we enter 2020: slow down, make the Airstream even more like home, and find more meetups with other Airstreamers and RVers. (Hey, maybe that's you!) Also, it's been a while since we uploaded a video! We explain a bit about where we've been and don't worry, we've got lots of new content coming out soon.

What are the best meetups or rallies that we should look into? And what are your goals or resolutions for 2020?

TOW LIKE A GIRL -- Pulling Your Rig with Confidence

Who tows your rig? In our house, it’s a woman’s job. Jim sits in the backseat with the cats, we call them the “Backseat Boys,” while Chelsea sits up front and tows 16,000 pounds.

In this video, we talk about why Chelsea prefers to tow the Airstream, a few things that make her feel comfortable doing that, and why we think the gender stereotypes associated with towing are a bunch of antiquated misogynistic BS. We also talk about how these stereotypes can make many women scared of getting in the driver’s seat and even trying to tow their rig. We hope that this video empowers more women to feel confident in their ability to take their rig from point A to point B.

EXPLORING MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK -- full time Airstream adventures

One of our favorite things about full time Airstream life is mapping out our route to see as many National Parks as we can. On our way south we passed through Kentucky and spent a few days exploring Mammoth Cave National Park. We're spelunkers now!

Over the next few weeks we'll be heading to Smoky Mountain National Park in Tennessee and Congaree National Park in South Carolina. We'll keep an eye out for bears and wild turkeys!

What are your favorite national parks? Let us know in a comment below!

Stay jolly.

OUR FIRST 100 DAYS IN AN AIRSTREAM -- Reflections on Full Time RV Living

We did it! We've made it past 100 days in our full time Airstream life as digital nomads.

In this video we reflect on highlights from the first 100 days, what we've learned in our first 100 days, the advice we would give to someone starting their first one hundred days, how long we think we'll keep doing this, and what it's like pooping in an Airstream! (We know you're especially curious about that last one.)

Special thanks to our family and friends who have encouraged us along the way and to all the other Airstreamers we've met online (and someday in person!).

Stay jolly!

WE LIVE IN AN AIRSTREAM! -- The Aluminum Dream

We live in an Airstream.

Two hundred square feet is bigger than it seems.

Thanks Wally Byam for creating an aluminum dream.

We live in an Airstream.

We go where we want, avoiding the snow.

East coast, West coast, go with the flow.

Mammoth, Smoky, Congaree — in one trip we hit all three.

Next year: Banff, Lake Louise, California redwood trees.

Back it on in because we have arrived.

Watch out for trees on the passenger side.

Level, unhitch, and stabilize — it only took us seven tries.

Is the water hooked up? Yes, my dear.

Now it’s time to crack a beer!

---

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING AIRSTREAMERS FOR BEING A PART OF OUR VIDEO SONG!

*Timothy and Ursulla*

Instagram: www.instagram.com/AirstreamVagabond

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiqEh3nYKizz1dfYlAPzPVQ

*Jay and Jess*

Instagram: www.instagram.com/TinCanCreativeCo

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg38_2DM7Mk30sXt5kZawug

*Amanda & fam*

Instagram: www.instagram.com/aluminum.turtles

*Walter & Ariel*

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEyPWhItKcyAQnOG7cV9sOg

*Sean and Emily*

Instagram: www.instagram.com/theramblingbuffalou

*Stephanie and Todd*

Instagram: www.instagram.com/stephaniedavisb

*Stacey*

Instagram: www.instagram.com/tincanadventure

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZWjLU3eKGGmTGODaUb7Rcg

SO MANY AIRSTREAMS! -- Eaton Rapids Air Festival

We keep an eye out for Airstreams at every campground we visit. We're lucky if we see one or two other Airstreamers, maybe three on a good weekend. But at the Eaton Rapids Air Festival we found dozens! This is a unique urban camping experience where folks gather to celebrate small town American life by lining the streets of Eaton Rapids, MI with Airstreams.

We saw the rare 34 foot Airstream Classic with a slide out and one of the original Globe Trotters, back when the name was still two words. We met so many other Airstreamers, reminding us why we love being a part of this community.

And because we were in the area, we ended our day at Horrocks, our favorite Michigan grocery store, where you can drink a beer while you shop. It was an all around great day!

WE WEIGH HOW MUCH?! -- Weighing our Airstream

How much does our Airstream weigh? We hitch up, head out with our cats, and stop by a CAT Scale to find out!

The only problem is we don't know what the numbers mean. Is the Trailer Axle the same as the Airstream weight? How close are we to the GVWR? And what exactly does the "R" stand for? Luckily Patrick Botticelli and our friends at Airstream Addicts are here to help!

OUR DAILY ROUTINE -- Working Remotely from an Airstream

We live and work full-time from our Airstream. This can be challenging because we’re constantly sitting down to work in the places where people vacation. We are quickly learning that remote work takes an enormous amount of self-discipline and drive. Beyond the personal and professional goals we are working toward, establishing a daily routine has been the #1 factor in boosting our productivity.

As digital nomads, our office is constantly changing. One week, our office might be on the beach, and the next it might be deep in the protected forests of a National Park. No matter where we’re waking up, we have to sit down and get to work. So what does a typical work day look like for us? What do we do on the days we’re not hitching up and traveling to another breathtaking location?

Whether you live full-time in an RV or in sticks and bricks, whether you’re an artist or part of a team or self-employed, let us know what rhythms and routines help you get your work done.

HARRISVILLE STATE PARK -- Naming Our Airstream & Taking Out the Trash

It's time to name our Airstream and take out the trash!

Every summer Chelsea's family - her mom, step dad, aunt, uncle, cousins, twin brother, younger sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and two nephews - drives up to Harrisville, Michigan for a family camping weekend at Harrisville State Park.

With summer campsites at this incredible state park in high demand, the whole family gets online exactly six months in advance to book a site, and if they're lucky they snag a beach site! For one weekend in August everyone calls their tent or their travel trailer home. Well, we always call our Airstream home but you already knew that.

And speaking of our Airstream, do you want to know what we named it? You'll have to watch the video to find out! You'll hear the story behind the name, fall in love with Harrisville State Park, and join the whole family as we take out the trash.

Only this video doesn't end there. Now it's time for you to take the #TrashWalkChallenge! Don't know what that is? Just watch the video and it will all make sense.

Oh, and for those of you who want to know more about the beer we're drinking, stick around to the very end of this episode. This beer is definitely one of our favorites!

5 THINGS WE LEARNED -- Our First Month in the Airstream

Here are 5 things we learned after our first month of full-time Airstream living.

We've been living full time in our 27' Airstream Globetrotter for 1 month! And there has been a HUGE learning curve.

AIRSTREAM EXERCISES -- 8 Ways to Work Out when You Live Full Time in an Airstream

It can be hard to exercise when you live in a small space, especially if the weather isn't cooperating. In this video we share eight of our favorite ways to get our movement in while living full time in our 27' Airstream Globetrotter. Some of them you'll recognize and others will be new. Regardless of what type of exercise you enjoy doing, the most important thing is to stay active.

DOWNSIZING, DECLUTTERING, & ASPIRING MINIMALISTS -- Full Time Airstream Life

*There are 300,000 items in the average American home.

*The average American spends one year of their life searching for lost items.

*There is a direct correlation between stress levels and the density of household objects.

*The average American woman owns 30 outfits—one for every day of the month. In 1930, the average was nine.

*There are 2.3 billion square feet of stuff in self-storage units across America.

*80% of what we keep we never use.

---

In a world of wanting and getting and having and keeping, we strive to live freely and simply.

We want to know what we have and have only what need. We want to surround ourselves only with items that bring joy, inspire creativity, and remind us we are loved.

We’re tired of buying into consumerism, a world that is increasingly bound to possessions and burdened with stuff.

We want to live a free and simple life.

MOVING INTO OUR AIRSTREAM - featuring Patrick Botticelli

We did it! After months of planning, simplifying, and packing, we loaded up our truck, left our one bedroom Manhattan apartment, and moved into our Airstream! 48 hours, 2 failed EZ Pass attempts, and 1 parking ticket later, we are all moved in!

It's all smooth sailing from here, right?

But seriously, what are your RV Newbie tips and tricks? We would love to hear them!

---

Special thanks to everyone at Colonial Airstream for their help and support, especially Patrick Botticelli for making a special cameo in this video. Visit https://www.colonialairstream.com/ to find out more about the best place to buy your Airstream and look them up on YouTube to see all of Patrick's incredible Airstream walkthroughs.

SHAKE DOWN! -- 3 Things We Learned After Our First Night in the Airstream

We took our Globetrotter out on her maiden voyage! Here’s what two RV newbies have to say after their first night out.

Share your tips for RV newbies in the comments below.

Special thanks to Kevin, Chris, Enrique, Patrick, and the whole gang over at Colonial Airstream for helping us get started!

Visit https://www.colonialairstream.com/ to find out more about the best place to buy your Airstream. And visit https://www.propridehitch.com/ to learn more about the ProPride hitch.

Looking for the YouTubers who made a cameo in this video? Search for Less Junk More Journey, Keep Your Daydream, AStreaminLife, Colonial Airstream, and Long Long Honeymoon.

What are your favorite RV YouTube channels?

GOODBYE NYC -- We Have an Announcement

We were halfway to the Catskills for a weekend camping trip when we began dreaming about what we wanted our life to look like after we left New York City. Surrounding ourselves with nature created space for us to have conversations like this one.

We wanted to be closer to family and perhaps even start one of our own. We wanted a smaller and quieter location than New York City, while still enjoying good food, drink, and art. We wanted the freedom to travel and the uncluttered simplicity of a tiny house. And we wanted to do it all with our two cats, Whitman and Wendell.⠀

Chelsea was halfway through an MFA in Creative Nonfiction and wanted to continue writing after graduation. Jim was creating digital content and hoping to do more.

That's when Jim suggested an Airstream.

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