Dirt Road Lessons
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Camping in a Campground with Dogs (What We Do Differently)
We don’t usually camp in campgrounds. We like dirt roads, quiet mornings, and not making eye contact with another human for 48 hours. But this weekend? We had specific hikes we wanted to do — and there’s not a lot of dispersed camping near the northern side of Shenandoah National Park. And leaving your dispersed
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Truck Camper Storage Ideas That Make Small Spaces Feel Bigger
I was so excited when we first brought our truck camper home. Like… embarrassingly excited. I deep cleaned every inch of it while daydreaming about the cute, cozy aesthetic I was absolutely convinced I was going to achieve. In my head, this camper had way more storage than it actually does. So naturally… I filled
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How to Prepare a Truck Camper for a Long Trip (Our Exact Prep Routine)
I love planning a trip.Like… love it. But when it comes to figuring out how to prepare a truck camper for a long trip, I’ve learned (usually the hard way) that a little prep goes a long way. Give me a destination, a timeline, and a reason to open a fresh Notes app list, and
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How to Plan a Truck Camping Trip (Without Overcomplicating It)
Our first big truck camper trip was a 7 day trip to West Virginia. We had already done a few longer camper van trips (we rented from Moterra Campervans — highly recommend), so we kind of knew what to expect… but I still managed to calm my nerves by creating what felt like a 27-page
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How to Set Up a Truck Camper (Our 15-Minute Routine That Actually Works)
A Real Weekend Setup (And Why We Keep It Simple) This weekend we camped at a paid Hipcamp spot—which is not usually our style—but we had family joining us, so we went with it. My dad was in a rooftop tent, my brother and sister-in-law were in their pull-behind camper and their setup requires a
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How We Sleep Comfortably in a Truck Camper (What Actually Works)
Why Sleeping in a Truck Camper Isn’t Always Comfortable at First When we first got our camper, it came with this horrible little 2-inch mattress that absolutely was not going to work for my back. We might as well have been sleeping on a 2×4. We quickly learned that truck campers use an RV queen
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Truck Camping With Dogs: What Actually Works
In my head, I had a very specific vision of what truck camping with dogs would look like. Chris and I sitting around a campfire.The dogs peacefully laying nearby.Everyone enjoying the quiet of the woods. Very dreamy. Very peaceful. Very TikTok-worthy. Reality looks a little different. Someone is covered in mud (or tree sap).Someone is
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Truck Camper Essentials: 10 Things We Actually Use Every Trip
When we first bought our truck camper, I stocked it like we were preparing for a wilderness survival expedition. Every cabinet had something in it. Every storage compartment was packed. At the time, I was fully convinced our ability to successfully go camping depended on having every possible item we might need. Extra blankets. Extra
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Truck Camper Life With Dogs: A Real Weekend in Our Truck Camper
Not every camping trip turns into a magical Pinterest moment. Sometimes it turns into you cutting tree sap out of your dachshund’s toes with Walmart meat shears at 9pm. This was one of those weekends. But honestly? Those are usually the best trips. If you’ve ever wondered what truck camper life with dogs actually looks
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Keeping a Truck Camper Clean With Dogs (What Actually Works)
Keeping a truck camper clean with dogs isn’t about perfection — it’s about having systems that actually work in a tiny space. There are two types of truck camper people:The “it’s fine, it’s rustic” people.And the “I will sweep 47 times a day if I have to” people. I am firmly in category two. We