Xscapers Find Their Adventure Outdoors
These Xscapers RV for Adventure
“Wouldn’t it be cool if we could just do this all the time?”
“Wouldn’t it be cool if we could just do this all the time?”, my husband Reet commented as we drove woefully back to Atlanta after another long weekend of mountain biking, kayaking and camping in our pop-up camper. We longed for more outdoor adventures beyond just these weekend trips. Two years later, we found ourselves driving away from Atlanta in our remodeled Class C RV “Miles” with our 2 cats, 2 mountain bikes, 2 kayaks, 1 paddleboard and 2 snowboards in tow seeking out new adventures over the horizon.
Over the last year, we have focused our journey on the top outdoor destinations in America, passing up the big cities and instead exploring the incredible trails, rivers, lakes, and mountains that our country has to offer. We have transitioned from city life and tedious gym workouts to camping under the stars and getting fit on mountains. In the process, we’ve gotten faster, stronger, and we’ve loved (almost) every minute of it! {We know we would lose all RV cred if we said every minute was glorious}.
We started off our trip briskly, hitting outdoor meccas like Jackson, WY, Ketchum, ID, and Bend, OR. We typically chose our destinations based on the bike trail systems we wanted to ride. Then we found our camping spots by identifying boondocking/dispersed camping on the Campendium app and the MTB Project app to find sites nearest to the trails.
Tips for Finding Your Outdoor Adventures
- Use trail finding sites and apps to identify trails in the area, and review routes ahead of time. Many of these sites have phone apps that let you track where you are on the trail.
- Visit local outfitters (e.g. bike shop) to get expert advice on trails, driving directions, trail conditions, etc.
- Check the weather forecast before you go and pack accordingly.
- Bring lots of food and water – more than you think you will need!
- A first aid kit and bike tire repair kit are also necessities.
- Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back – especially if you won’t have cell service.
- Have fun!
Our mentality is that pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional!
Find Your Adventure Mountain Biking
Mountain biking can be one of the toughest workouts on earth, but besides being a great way to stay in shape and see outstanding views, we love the connection it brings us when we meet other outdoor enthusiasts on the road, and at Xscapers Convergences.
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Biking is also a great way to escape the masses. The crowds dissipate as you hop on your bike and start pedaling down a trail. Even the busiest bike trails in the country are off the beaten path. Recently, we visited Moraine Lake in Banff National Park, along with hordes of others. We were turned away at the entrance road because the parking lot was full. A quick search on the TrailForks app uncovered a rolling bike trail alongside the road all the way to the lake. We hopped on our bikes and discovered one of the best surprises on our trip yet – we had the entire trail and the breathtaking views of the Canadian Rockies all to ourselves.
Other Ways to Adventure
We don’t just bike though, we mix things up with hiking 14ers, kayaking and snowboarding (our winter RVing experiences could fill a whole separate post!).
How do we fit all this gear into our minimalist RV life?
Well, we have switched things up over time, but our current setup is our favorite so far. We started with a gear trailer that was nice and spacious, but found that we couldn’t always get to the places we wanted to bike and hike in our RV. So, we bought a great little off-road Jeep which we tow. The two kayaks and a roof box sit on top, bikes on the back (or inside for long journeys), paddleboard and snowboards in the roof box. The cat is inside the RV (and sometimes outside in his cat tent). 😊
However, it’s definitely not necessary to own all of this gear to be able to spend more time outside. Renting is also a great way to try out a new sport or demo a new bike before upgrading.
RVing allows us so many more opportunities for adventure!
After a 6-month whirlwind of outdoor destinations, we decided to slow down to take in more of these incredible locales. Two months in Utah started with boarding the “greatest snow on earth” and ended with shredding the epic Moab slickrock trails. We were on the receiving end of some strange looks driving the Jeep up to the ski resorts with 2 kayaks on the roof! But such is the RV lifestyle!
We spent the early summer in Colorado exploring the southwestern gems of Cortez, Durango and Pagosa Springs before heading to the high peaks of Salida and Buena Vista. What a joy to ride past ancient Anasazi cliff dwellings, bike over the Continental Divide, scramble up 14ers, and paddle the famous Arkansas River.
Although we’ve had some remarkable outdoor adventures in the last year, we know that we have really only scratched the surface!
What we really love about RV life is the ease with which we can get outside. We have pulled over on the side of the road to kayak glacial lakes in Colorado and have ridden right out of our boondocking spot onto the world-renowned bike trails in Oregon. We can even spend the day working and still get a 15-mile ride in afterwards. All our gear is with us, and we are always near something incredible to explore outside. Although we’ve had some remarkable outdoor adventures in the last year, we know that we have really only scratched the surface!
Author
Julie Singh
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Great informative blog and looking forward to be connecting in Arizona this winter and Mexico
Are there any RVing groups that have the same focus around mountain biking, hiking, and kayaking such as this great article? We live in Florida but have access to great trails in Alafia, Ocala and South Florida, but it would be nice to know about other events in the East, such as Tennessee in the Carolinas