Built To Go! A #Vanlife Podcast
Built to Go is your #vanlife companion for long days on the road, working on your rig, or just relaxing by that perfect spot. Self-build? Living in your vehicle? Stealth Van? Our magazine format has something for every #vanlife interest.
Listen on:
Episodes
Wednesday Nov 04, 2020
Wednesday Nov 04, 2020
We have 5 ways to check to see if you're ready for vanlife. We also explore alternate uses for Frisbees, talk about FastCaps, visit the Oriental Institute and talk about air bag issues.
5 things to check to know you're ready for #vanlife.
Like camping?
Like problem solving?
Have enough money?
Figured out relationships?
Have a mission?
A Place to Visit
Oriental Institute
When someone mailed to package to "Indiana Jones," it was delivered here. This is the closest you're going to find to "Junior's" home base.
https://oi.uchicago.edu/
Resource Recommendation
Odd little fixes for your annoying cabinet problems.
https://fastcaps.com
Product Review:
Frisbees!
Nice, heavy glow-in-the-dark model
They can be used as:
Cutting boards
Bowls
Fire fans
Screw holders (for repairs)
Way to knock something out of a tree
Wind block for stove
Attention getter
Q&A: Airbags?
If you remove seats, you may have issues with airbags. There ARE solutions involving resistors, but you'll need to do research for your particular situation.
Some links (Amazon) are affiliate links, and the podcast will receive a small payment if you order from them. Anything provided by a manufacturer for review will be fully disclosed. All reviews are the opinion of the Podcast Host.
Wednesday Oct 28, 2020
Wednesday Oct 28, 2020
You hope it will never happen, but what if it does? You have to plan for a crash, and maybe having knives on a magnetic strip isn't a great idea. Also, we'll visit the Drive-In, talk about Command Strips, stay warm without heat, and catch up some news as well.
Not my actual rig, but pretty close
Crashing your Rig
Watch this video to gain understanding of what happens during a crash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cibwyhcLEwc (no sound).
Really. Watch it.
A Place to Visit
Drive-Ins are a thing you can do in your van! If you're heading to Florida for the cold season, check out this gem!
Silver Moon Drive-In
Resource Recommendation
There's a junk yard or RV salvage yard near you. How do you know? Because you clicked below.
http://junkyardsnearme.com/
Product Review:
Command hooks are a great temporary (or maybe permanent!) solution for van life.
https://amzn.to/35KRJI2
NEWS
BBC: Traveller families win court battle over living on land they own
CBS 4: More Americans willing to try the van life due to pandemic survey finds
Fodors: Here's what vanlife is really like
Insider: A British man spent over 1,000 hours transforming a jet engine into a camper trailer for family road trips
Q&A:
How can you stay warm in winter without heat?
Best thing: a good sleeping bag
Remember that the rating isn't for comfort, it's for survivability.
Good info on sleeping bags from Section Hiker.
A good selection: https://amzn.to/35FBiwS
Some links (Amazon) are affiliate links, and the podcast will receive a small payment if you order from them. Anything provided by a manufacturer for review will be fully disclosed. All reviews are the opinion of the Podcast Host.
Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
An article claims there are 20 Reasons to NOT do Van Life, but are there really? Let's take a look. We'll also explore some new electric vans, talk about condiment packets, visit Arco, Idaho, and use Wikipedia to learn about our vans. And some gift ideas!
A Place to Visit
Arco, IdahoEBR-1 - First Nuclear Reactor
The Devil Boat
Resource Recommendation
Wikipedia
Yeah - you know this, but did you know that they have extensive details on your van, where it was built, what other models share components, and the history of the engine? Take a look!
Product Review:
Restaurant condiments may seem like a good idea for #vanlife, but make sure you rotate the stock.
Q&A:
Gift ideas for vanners?
Redbox Gift Cards - https://www.redbox.com/gifts
Multitools (a MUST!)
Interesting dried foods
USB Fan
Nylon Bags
Some links (Amazon) are affiliate links, and the podcast will receive a small payment if you order from them. Anything provided by a manufacturer for review will be fully disclosed. All reviews are the opinion of the Podcast Host.
Wednesday Oct 14, 2020
Wednesday Oct 14, 2020
Yes, you can cook with household electric appliances if you're careful! Some are better than others. We'll visit LL Bean, talk about Kelly Blue Book, get chased by a Tow Truck, discuss van weight, and review the Sea Eagle 370.
A Place to Visit
LL Bean is open 24 hours and has been for over 100 years! Part museum, part catalog store - it's a fun place to hang out at 3AM.
LL Bean Flagship Store
Resource Recommendation
Kelly Blue Book
A time-honored way to find out how much a vehicle is worth.
Product Review:
Sea Eagle 370
A large, inflatable kayak that allows you to take your #vanlife onto open water (up to Class 3 rapids!)
SeaEagle.com
Electric Cooking Products:
Portable Induction Cooktop
Mini Instant Pot
Panasonic Inverter Microwave
Pure Sine Wave Inverters
12v Microwave
Some links (Amazon) are affiliate links, and the podcast will receive a small payment if you order from them. Anything provided by a manufacturer for review will be fully disclosed. All reviews are the opinion of the Podcast Host.
Wednesday Oct 07, 2020
Wednesday Oct 07, 2020
A letter from Kansas prompted me to rant a bit about toll problems in the US. We also discuss RainX, doing a Video Game Tour, point out things in your van that you shouldn't cover up, tell a tale of Clem and the police, and show how to avoid using up all your "hot spot" data.
A Place to Visit
Consider a tour of places from a video game, TV show of movie! We did a Fallout New Vegas tour and had an great time finding all the hidden things.
The Real Place
From the game, Fallout: New Vegas
Resource Recommendation
Turnpikeinfo.com - good resource of all toll information
TollGuru.com - great tool for calculating expenses
Peasy - an app that pays toll with your plates (but not everywhere).
RV Toll Pass - the "one transponder to rule them all" but watch out for fees.
UNI - the best pass for folks traveling in the East. Covers 18 states.
Product Review:
Rain-X
It works. The best product is probably the original, but for the other require much less effort.
Link to products: https://amzn.to/2SzgBMP
Some links (Amazon) are affiliate links, and the podcast will receive a small payment if you order from them. Anything provided by a manufacturer for review will be fully disclosed. All reviews are the opinion of the Podcast Host.
Wednesday Sep 30, 2020
Wednesday Sep 30, 2020
Is Stealth a myth? No, but it's not what people think. We'll also visit a natural wonder in Massachusetts, talk about the Smooth 4 Gimbal, commiserate about needing to remove spray foam, and point out a solution for morning condensation.
A Place to Visit
Purgatory Notch, Sutton, Massachusetts
A natural wonder in southern Massachusetts.
Purgatory Chasm State Park
Resource Recommendation
VaZhiyun Smooth 4 Gimbal
It allows completely smooth shots under shaky conditions.
Zhiyun Smooth 4
https://amzn.to/2Gh4kd
Complete Review (YouTube)
Product Review:
Terry Cloth Sponges
Great simple way to remove morning condensation from you windshield.
https://amzn.to/33g8TNJ
Vanlife News
ProMaster Safety Features (CNET).
How a Van Can Be Ideal For Someone Disabled (NY Times, Paywall).
Winter Vanlife (Washington Post).
Some links (Amazon) are affiliate links, and the podcast will receive a small payment if you order from them. Anything provided by a manufacturer for review will be fully disclosed. All reviews are the opinion of the Podcast Host.
Wednesday Sep 23, 2020
Wednesday Sep 23, 2020
Winter is coming, but that's no reason to stop #vanlife. We'll visit some of the gods living in Illinois, talk about solar shower bags, OBDII port scanners, and listen to an odd tale of physics.
In this episode, we ask some hard questions about the ethics of #vanlife, explore Bishop Castle in Colorado, explain why you put in the floor first, recommend Fakestop and discuss electric heat in a van.
A Place to Visit
Garden of the Gods, Illinois
Nope, not the one in Colorado or even the one in Hawaii!
Garden of the Gods Recreation Area in Herod, Illinois.
Resource Recommendation
Vanly.app
It's an "Air BnB" for van parking spaces.
Product Review:
Solar Shower Bags
They work, but they're better for heating water than taking showers.
https://amzn.to/32T7BYM
Tech Talk:On Board Diagnostics II (OBDII) ports can save you money. Consider carrying a scanner.
Cheap option: Hyper Tough HT309 OBD2 Code Reader
Full-featured option: Autel AutoLink AL609P Pro OBD2 Scanner
Some links (Amazon) are affiliate links, and the podcast will receive a small payment if you order from them. Anything provided by a manufacturer for review will be fully disclosed. All reviews are the opinion of the Podcast Host.
Wednesday Sep 16, 2020
Wednesday Sep 16, 2020
Choose the adventure! Tell me where to go and what to do, and I'll comply.
New Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/339664633746373/
In this episode, we ask some hard questions about the ethics of #vanlife, explore Bishop Castle in Colorado, explain why you put in the floor first, recommend Fakestop and discuss electric heat in a van.
A Place to Visit
Bishop Castle
Wear sturdy shoes and be careful!
http://www.bishopcastle.org/
Resource RecommendationFakespot, a tool that helps you find deceptive product reviews.
http://www.fakespot.com
Electric Heat?
Just as with AC, it draws so much power that it's usually impractical for battery living.
It can be very handy if you have a plugin.
What I have: https://amzn.to/2ZCceEK