This week we had Bluetti reach out and ask if we wanted to review their new AC180 portable power station. We have never accepted a sponsored post nor have we ever even returned an email requesting a review, but this one really caught our nerdy battery, electrical system-loving hearts' attention.
If you spend time following families that travel, you'll notice there is always one common thread. Stuff breaks ... A LOT. It makes sense when you think about it: your home is hurling down the highway at 65 mph basically causing a mini (or sometimes not so mini) earthquake inside. Something
Overall we have been delighted with our luxury vinyl plank flooring. It has been extremely durable, hides the dirt when it's a little dirty, and is super easy to clean and maintain. It installed relatively easily and really has a premium look and feel. After two years of use and
This week we have a pretty simple project on the bus. A little over 5 years ago we installed new LED headlights on the bus and it was a HUGE upgrade over the stock lights. We modified the original brackets for the stock lights because the new lights are slightly
It is May 2023, and we are back in Arizona for many family events and the usual "life upkeep". Our oldest son Dominic graduated high school and starts attending college at Arizona State University in the fall, so we have a lot to prepare for him moving out. Along with
During our first outing in July 2021 just east of Albuquerque, New Mexico, we faced a daunting long, hot, and steep climb. The temperature outside was well above 100°F, which caused our bus's coolant temperature to rise from the usual range of 160-180°F to over 195. To avoid
When we first started designing our electrical system a big reoccurring problem we had was how to deal with heat. Heat is the number one enemy of lithium batteries and electronics in general. Most electric cars employ very complicated water-cooled solutions to keep heat in check within the batteries. The
As we pulled into our friend's property in Lubbock, Texas in late November 2022, we were surprised to see our tow car and the back of the bus covered in oil. A lot of oil! There has always been a very small oil leak but this is the stop where
About a year ago we set out to do the most complicated mechanical thing we have ever attempted on our bus by ourselves: repairing the transmission leak that had been getting worse and worse. The bus has always had a small transmission leak but it was finally to the point
In the spring of 2022, it seemed like more and more of our campsites were more than just a smidge unlevel. Maybe it was just us, or maybe we were all of a sudden now more sensitive to it. One thing was clear, we really wanted a leveling system that
Shenandoah National Park was the first National Park we visited on our bus adventures, and it did not disappoint. From the moment we drove onto Skyline Drive to the moment we stood at the peak of a mountain overlooking the valley, we loved it all. We took in more of
Along the way of building the bus and sharing the entire thing, there have been a few little odds and ends that never made it into a post or video. One of those projects was the time we rebuilt one of the windshield wiper motors. These buses have individual air-powered
After leaving Washington DC, we drove to Virginia. On our way to the Shenandoah Valley, we stopped for a few hours to tour Manassas National Battlefield Park, the site of the First Battle of Bull Run (and the Second), which was the first major land battle of the Civil War.
