Galactic Adventures

ISSUE 06 | SEPTEMBER 13, 2024

Camper Vans gathered at a campfire at sunset

This issue’s header image was submitted by Alex Chamas, featuring his dog, Rook. Such a good boy!

STORY MENU

Adventures with Doughboy

Harvest Hosts & HipCamp

Beyond the Pavement

Happenings at HQ

Adventures with Doughboy

Harvest Hosts & Hipcamp

Beyond the Pavement

Happenings @ HQ

Welcome to the sixth issue of Storyteller’s Galactic Adventures! We hope you are enjoying our community-focused newsletter as much as we are. To those of you who have read along with every issue – thank you! To those of you who have submitted written pieces and photos to be featured – THANK YOU! The Storyteller Community remains our favorite part of our story.

We're excited to see some of you out at the Adventure Van Expo in Tahoe and the Hershey RV Show this weekend! We'll have a new XO out at the AVE Tahoe that we can't wait to show you and talk about some plans we have up our sleeve. One hint: “Evel Knievel, you've got yourself some competition!”- Cannonball Run, 1981

As always, if you have a story you would like to share or a photo you would like to see featured, please don’t hesitate to reach out — emma.walsmith@storytelleroverland.com.

Adventures with Doughboy

Written by Peng Shi, 2021 Classic

Over the past three years, my trusty Storyteller van, “Doughboy,” and I have traveled through numerous breathtaking locations across the western United States and Canada. Along the way, I’ve captured and shared some #adVANture photos in the Facebook group. Here are five of my favorite shots and the stories behind them.

Treading Carefully Through a Magic Carpet at Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve During a Superbloom, California.

If conditions are just right, the Southern California deserts come alive for a short period every few years, covered in a stunning display of flowers. These so-called Superblooms are unpredictable and fleeting. When the flowers are at their peak, it’s often too late to book hotels. Fortunately, one of the best benefits of owning a Storyteller is the flexibility it provides.

For this photo, I kept up with the Superbloom status via the excellent flower report from Desert USA (https://www.desertusa.com). When I saw that the poppies were peaking, I packed up the van and spontaneously decided to head to Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve in Southern California, a place renowned for its Poppy Superbloom. With the van, I was able to boondock nearby and get an early start before the crowd arrived from Los Angeles.

Here’s a tip: there are some dirt roads east of the preserve that allow you to drive among the flowers. Just be sure to observe common sense No Trace Left Behind rules. Stay on existing roads, don’t tread over flowers, don’t litter, and leave the place as you found it so others can also enjoy these stunning flower carpets. If you want to see more of my Superbloom tips, you can check them out here.

Galactic Adventure on the Plains of Tatooine Death Valley, California.

It wouldn’t be a Storyteller Overland Galactic Adventure if I didn’t visit Tatooine, home of Luke Skywalker!

Haha, I had you fooled. Yes, I know, it’s hard to believe, but I didn’t actually go to a fictional planet. However, it sure felt like I did. Except for the two suns that were clearly Photoshopped in, the rest of this shot was real. I made this photo as a joke for May the Fourth Day, but the original Star Wars movie was indeed shot in and around many locations in Death Valley National Park, due to its otherworldly look.

Traveling through the hottest place on earth makes me truly appreciate the ability to use the van’s air conditioning without needing to plug into campsite hookups. I captured this photo just outside Death Valley National Park in Panamint Valley. I was descending from the trailhead to Telescope Peak, the tallest peak in the park at 11,043 feet. It’s not unusual for this peak to be blanketed in snow during the winter. From the summit, you can gaze straight down into Badwater Basin (−282 feet), the lowest point in North America. Even more astonishing, you can turn around and see Mt. Whitney (14,505 feet), the tallest peak in the contiguous United States, in the distance.

Here’s a tip: There’s a reason it’s called Death Valley—the danger is very real, and people die here every year. However, there are many hidden beauties scattered across this landscape if you go off the beaten path. Make sure to prep your van and check road conditions online before you head out. Top off your fuel (preferably in Nevada, where fuel prices are significantly cheaper) and fill up your fresh water tank. If possible, bring a satellite communicator, as most of the park has no cellphone signal. Alternatively, travel in a group so that if you encounter trouble, someone can get help.

Tunnel of Color in Eastern Sierra Nevada, California.

Autumn is a magical time of the year. The best colors I’ve seen are in Canada, where you can drive for hours through vibrant reds. There’s a reason why it’s on their flag! However, there are plenty of places in the United States that are just as stunning, like upstate New York or Colorado—a perfect excuse for a road trip if you have a house on wheels.

I saw this tree tunnel while driving to North Lake, one of the most popular spots for fall colors in the Sierra Nevada, California, and thought it would be the perfect place to pose “Doughboy.” I had to wait patiently for a short window when all the hikers and cars cleared to get this shot.

North Lake used to be a quiet spot for fishing, but it has gained significant popularity after a picture of its fall colors was featured as the default MacOS wallpaper. Now, thousands of people flock here to experience it in real life. However, there’s more than just this one lake to enjoy the vibrant fall colors. You can pick up a fall color map at the local visitor center to discover all the hot spots in the area.

Here’s a tip: Check the weather report and foliage report before you go. Peak fall color pops on bright sunny days and can happen quickly. One storm can knock most of the leaves off. Shooting during golden hour (around sunrise and sunset) can accentuate the color. It’s especially nice when you can sleep near where you want to photograph, wake up 5 minutes before sunrise, and walk out of the van to grab that shot.

Searching for a Winter Wonderland over Loveland Pass, Colorado.

Driving through the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel in Colorado via Interstate 70 may be faster, but I personally prefer to move at a slower pace in my camper van. That’s why I chose to drive over the Continental Divide via Loveland Pass.

Parked at the mountain pass, there was plenty of wind to knock me around. To get this photo, I had to climb up a slope in knee-deep snow. Fortunately, I could run right back into the van to warm myself up! Although it’s a winter wonderland outside, thanks to the excellent insulation and heater in my van, I was able to enjoy a quick lunch with a view in complete comfort.

Here’s a tip: Pick up some sub-zero windshield wiper fluid when you get into the mountains. In California, it’s nearly impossible to find cold-weather windshield wiper fluid. When we first reached Colorado, our spray promptly froze, which was not ideal with the windshield getting covered in road muck within minutes. Fortunately, we were able to boil a kettle of water and pour it onto the windshield wipers to unfreeze them. We then emptied the existing tank and refilled it with sub-zero fluid from a gas station, which solved the problem.

Chasing Aurora and the Arctic Ocean on the Dempster Highway, Northwest Territories.

Speaking of cold weather, one of the main reasons I bought a Storyteller is because it’s a four-season camper van. I’ve taken Doughboy on trips year-round without winterizing. The van is well-insulated enough that, as long as the Rixen heaters are running and the interior temperature is kept reasonably warm (I set mine at 68°F), there’s no need to winterize the van. That’s how we were able to make our way to the Arctic Ocean, catch the Northern Lights at 3 AM in below freezing temperature on the Dempster Highway, and still enjoy a warm shower.

Driving the Dempster Highway was truly the road trip of a lifetime, and I highly recommend it! This photo is one of my favorites from that trip, but taking Northern Light photos require a lot of patience and luck. The sky was alive! With the nearest human habitation 50 miles from where we were, there was no light pollution and the sky put up a show that was truly mesmerizing. If you want to make this epic drive yourself, you can watch my how to guide here.

Here’s a tip: I found that the majority of heat loss comes from the windows. The front cab area is also not as well insulated as the house portion. The solution? Make sure to put insulated window coverings on at night. Installing an insulated curtain also helps keep the cold air out of the living space.

Harvest Hosts & HipCamp: My Favorite Ways to Camp

Emma Walsmith, 2022 MODElt

An alternative title to this article could be, “How I Became an Alpaca Farmer,” as the evolution of my #vanlife adventure and my day-to-day life have been so heavily influenced by seemingly small decisions in the first couple days of owning our first Storyteller Overland van.

My husband, Jason, & I picked up our 2020 Classic on June 24, 2020. We purchased the van from La Mesa Albuquerque – sight unseen. We had placed a deposit just days prior and having never gotten to see a Storyteller MODE in person before, we had some nervous feelings of course, but for whatever reason we were also imbued with a sense of generally unwavering confidence for this next grand adventure.

In our eager #vanlife research phase, Jason and I had learned about apps like Harvest Hosts and HipCamp. So once we had our trusty steed, who would soon be named “Falkor,” we pulled up Harvest Hosts and explored opportunities to camp that evening. We found that three hours away in Clovis, NM was an alpaca farm called “Windrush Alpacas,” that grabbed our attention. Neither Jason nor I had ever met an alpaca so we laughed at the thought– thinking this could be a hilarious way to kick off our #vanlife adventure. Little did we know…

Fast forward four years, two MODE vans, 160,000 miles driven, 40 states visited, camping at dozens of alpaca farms throughout the US and we reach present day – where not only do I still use Harvest Hosts & HipCamp – but we now own our very own alpaca farm in central Iowa and host #vanlifers on a regular basis through these apps. We call our farm, “The Waypoint,” and you can find us on Harvest Hosts, HipCamp, Instagram & Facebook.

Harvest Hosts & HipCamp remain my favorite ways to find safe & comfortable camping options. Hosts are vetted by the apps before being allowed to list their spot and the network of users is also vetted to make sure identities can be verified before the host’s location is revealed. Recently, I went on a roadtrip to visit the Storyteller Intergalactic HQ in Birmingham, Alabama and I used these apps to stay at a cattle ranch, a private wooded acreage and an apple orchard.

My trip to Birmingham was to attend a couple days of meetings with our Storyteller Growth team – a team dedicated to not only selling adventure vehicles but supporting and celebrating the community of badass humans who choose Storyteller as their preferred mode of adventure. (See what I did there?) And while I like to believe I brought something to the table, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that my two year old dachshund, Fritz, was clearly vying for that “employee of the month,” accolade. Photos below will offer you an idea of his dedication to Storyteller and his desire to be such a good boy. 😂😍

As both a user of the HipCamp and Harvest Hosts networks as well as a host on both apps, I am happy to answer any questions you might have! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me via email emma.walsmith@storytelleroverland.com or you can find me on the gram, @emmawalsmith

Beyond the Pavement

September 2024, Bears Ears

Our recent Beyond the Pavement cohort set out from Blanding, Utah. Led by Warner Vans and Mike Reed of Voyager Outdoors, our caravan of explorers took in ancient ruins and artifacts at the edge of Cedars State Park – in some cases, these artifacts were 3-8,000 years old. From there, the caravan aired down and received a 30,000 foot overview of the trip and trail etiquette. Driving through a barren red landscape– the caravan arrived at camp– located at 9,000 feet of altitude, where a catered dinner awaited them (thanks, Warner Vans!). As with most nights around a campfire, food was enjoyed, stories were told and our community became further bonded in the name of living free & exploring endlessly.

The following morning featured a recovery lesson from Mike Reed – with a strong focus on how to properly operate a winch. This lesson was followed by a 60 mile trail ride with stunning views showcasing Utah’s expansive beauty.

Feedback from two of the participants:

“Really enjoyed the Bears Ears BtP class. Mike was a great instructor and managed to accommodate a wide range of driver proficiency. I would probably do the exact same thing again one more time. If the venue was changed (and you kept the same difficulty), I'd try to go 1-2 per year. Food was great. My only complaint about the food staff was that I would have loved them to come over and join us after their prep/serve was done. The more the merrier and I'd love to hear their stories.

It was very reassuring knowing that he had our back and picked out a course that would be a good first step and wouldn't break our vans.

And as an aside, it was also reassuring that Brayden was there in case something went wrong. Getting our Volta updates was a nice cherry on top.

I was very apprehensive taking this small first step. (Silly, I know). But seeing everyone in the line of vans traversing terrain made me confident that I could do it too. My biggest practical takeaway (beyond a shopping list of new stuff to get), is the importance of airing down. It was useful to move that bit of knowledge from the theoretical to the practical.” - Claude

“It was an amazing, life changing experience! Mike is a great instructor, and the Warner and Storyteller staff members were awesome to work with. Now that I see the capability of the Storytellers, I feel so empowered, and I'm super impressed with your vision for Warner Vans. Thank you for your generosity in sending me on this eye opening experience!! I'm planning on taking Mike's recovery course, as well as any other adventures he offers. What I like about Mike is his presentations are authentic. He comes across as "what-you-see-is-what-you-get," so whatever he does is great because it's who he is. No polish - all substance. I can't tell you how lucky I feel to have found your dealership when I did. I've failed to learn and enjoy RVing on my previous two attempts (NuCamp T@B 320 and Thor Outlaw motor home) because I didn't have a support system. I'm so far ahead of the curve with my Storyteller. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'm so happy with this path forward!! I had no idea I am an overlander at heart.” - Anita

Join in on the final 2024 Beyond the Pavement led by Backland Adventures through the Lost Coast. Register Today!

And keep an eye out as we'll be announcing the 2025 Beyond the Pavement series soon!

📍Happenings at HQ: Team Member Spotlight

Our September Team Member Spotlight goes to Payroll & Compensation Manager, Tammy Cox!

Tammy’s unwavering dedication, joyful spirit, and genuine care for her team make her a beloved member of our Storyteller Galaxy. Her positive energy and selflessness have touched the lives of everyone she meets, both inside and outside the office.

Tammy’s nominators spoke with admiration and gratitude for the joy, care, and dedication she brings to her work each and every day. Here’s what they had to say:

"Tammy is always happy and welcoming to everyone she encounters. She shows up each and every day to be sure that we are all paid correctly and on time. She lives out our values of joy, stewardship, gratitude, and loyalty from the time she arrives until the time she leaves, and even after hours. Tammy is always going above and beyond to help others and take care of the day-to-day. At the office, she is Mama Tammy and gives out hugs on a daily basis. Outside of work, she is the same loving and caring person we've all come to know. Whether it's sending her son care packages in Texas or taking care of home, she never passes up the opportunity to brighten someone else's day. That's just her—spreading joy and being her authentic self. She is the heart and soul of this company."

"Everyone knows who Tammy is, and it’s not just because of her HR capacity roles. Tammy is the kindest and most caring individual I have been lucky enough to meet here in Alabama. She literally touches the lives of every single Storyteller no matter what platform you build on or role you play here. Don’t mess with Tammy—that’s messing with your money! I joke with people and say whatever she asks, you say, 'Yes, ma'am,' and get it done right away. We in production get anything she asks done because she doesn’t ask for much help and deserves the world, especially this kind of recognition. I know she has more roles than any of us will ever know—she’s one of the people here who wears many hats, and you don’t even notice the size of some of them. I can’t thank her enough for everything and feel she deserves to be shouted from the rooftops for a month, absolutely! She works so hard and cares so much—that shouldn’t go unnoticed."

We are so incredibly grateful for Tammy and all of the love she pours into Storyteller!

🖼️ Overland Gothic: Join us!

You still have time to submit your #OverlandGothic!

Grant Wood’s “American Gothic,” painted in 1930, featured the perseverance of the American Dream following the Great Depression and celebrated the ways in which our homes, our work and the passions we pursue are often an extension of ourselves.

Nearly 100 years later, please join us in exploring the world of #OverlandGothic, a New American Gothic that features the myriad of ways your home on wheels allows you to pursue whatever defines your American Dream.

Submit your #OverlandGothic portrait here to be featured on our social media, website and newsletters!

Our team will hand select portraits to be featured on our website, included in our Overland Gothic Gallery!

Portraits featured on our website will be awarded a 2025 National Parks Pass courtesy of Storyteller Overland.

A Galactic Adventure to Moonlanding III 🚀

Join The Journal of Lost Time crew at Moonlanding III - a moonbase cultural festival of nomads, overlanders, and van lifers will be held October 10th - 14th in Ramah, New Mexico. All vehicles, spacecraft, and tent campers are welcome!

RESERVE YOUR SPOT! Use code STO20 for 20% off.

full events lineup